25 people killed in Zamfara fresh attack

Suspected armed bandits have killed at least 25 people in attacks on two villages in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara State, according to Daily Trust.

Residents told the newspaper that a motor bike-riding gang of armed men opened fire on locals harvesting sweet potatoes on their farms at Garin Halilu village, killing nine on the spot in the afternoon.
The attackers were said to have returned to the community and killed three others around 5:00pm when the bodies of the slain farmers were being prepared for burials.

“They then proceeded to neighboring Gidan Kaka village and shot dead nine persons there. And the remaining four persons killed were from Nassarawa Gödel village who went to offer help to those under attack at Gidan Haliliu,” a resident, Tukur Gödel, told Daily Trust
The spokesman of the state police command, Muhammad Shehu, however, said only five persons were killed and that calm had returned.
“The Zamfara State Police Command wishes to Confirm that On 19/12/2018 at about 1505hrs, a group of armed bandits attacked some villagers of Gidan Halilu Village in Billashe district of Birnin Magaji LGA on their farms. On receipt of the report, Combined teams of PMF/CTU and Conventional police personnel headed by the Area Commander Kauran Namoda mobilized to the affected village to repel the attack, restore normalcy and arrest the perpetrators.

“On getting to the scene, five corpses were recovered with one other person injured. The corpses were taken to Hospital in Birnin Magaji, while the injured person was admitted for treatment.
“The scene and its environs have been subjected to extensive bush combing with a view to prevent further attack,” he said.